Methodology

Lingua Sinica uses a systematic approach to mapping and contextualizing Chinese-language media environments and points of engagement by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) across the global information landscape. Our methodology is built around two fundamental data structures:

1. Dispatches: Our system categorizes data points as either activities or entities, which we collectively refer to as “dispatches.” These concise posts serve as the foundation for monitoring the global landscape.
2. Contextual Analysis: We provide rich contextual information for countries and regions alongside mapped data points, recognizing that China is one factor—but rarely the only or most decisive factor — impacting local information ecosystems.

Our work from region to region generally begins with a more comprehensive Country Profile of a target country, gaining a more in-depth understanding of its media and information environment. Research for the profile includes both a preliminary search for engagement activities between the PRC and local media partners, as well as a comprehensive search for domestic Chinese-language media. We specifically include Chinese-language media outlets regardless of PRC engagement history, as these tend to be more vulnerable to engagement or interference attempts by Chinese state actors, which prioritize the Chinese diaspora as points of leverage overseas.

In addition to our country to country research for deeper context, we conduct regular monitoring of PRC media engagement activities through a list of targeted keywords that help us identify activities, primarily in Chinese-language coverage of engagements from official PRC media and government institutions. Once we locate activities, we enter these in our database using original news sources — and also archiving primary sources so that our users can access source information for their own research and verification.

A critical component of our methodology is uncovering and documenting the vertical ties of various actors, both from the PRC and domestic contexts. This approach helps reveal:

• Non-transparent connections between ostensible civil society organizations or affiliated companies and the party-state apparatus
• State-led agendas behind what are portrayed as media, cultural, or civic exchanges

Through this vertical mapping, we unmask relationships that might otherwise appear as independent collaborations between media organizations but are in fact connected to official Party-state actors or other proxies.

Activities

Our system categorizes activities into two main classifications. Media Engagement Activities (MEAs) encompass a diverse range of interactions between PRC actors and foreign entities. These include, but are not limited to, formal media summits and partnerships, official visits by PRC representatives to media organizations, and the strategic placement of content from PRC state media outlets in foreign publications. The breadth of these engagements reflects the multifaceted approach the PRC takes in its media outreach globally.

Similarly, AI Engagement Activities (AIEAs) represent an emerging area of focus in our tracking system. These activities capture various forms of AI-related cooperation, such as bilateral technology agreements, discussions on AI governance frameworks between states, localization efforts of Chinese AI models in foreign markets, and participation in regional forums focused on artificial intelligence development. As the AI landscape evolves rapidly, we continue to refine and expand these categories to accurately reflect new forms of engagement.